Applicants have tried to dissolve DNA in non-aqueous solvents like methanol, ethanol, and organic solvent mixtures like methanol/ethyl acetate, methanol/chloroform, and methanol/toluene but in all cases the DNA appeared not to dissolve.
However it has now been found that DNA whether it is in double-helical or single-stranded form can be successfully dissolved in the above solvents or mixed aqueous/non-aqueous solvent systems if one adds to the solvent certain macromolecular ligands such as crown ethers and cryptands which belong to the group of macrocyclic receptor molecules.